FLUID PURGE IN A MEDICAL INJECTION SYSTEM

• US 20100200076A1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Original Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Inventors: Wilson, Robert F., Mohiuddin, Khader, Nystrom, Sidney D., Hieb, Martin G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,147,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/15.40
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1403 Flushing or purging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/22 Valves or arrangement of valves A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0419 Fluid cleaning or flushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7879 Resilient material valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/788 Having expansible port

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention provides a method to purge air or liquid from a powered injection system. In this embodiment, the method includes driving a first pumping device in a first operational mode to inject an amount of a first liquid medium through disposable tubing and a disposable valve, driving the first pumping device in a second operational mode to deform the disposable valve, and driving a second pumping device to inject an amount of a second liquid medium through the disposable tubing and the deformed valve. In one embodiment, the first pumping device comprises a first syringe, the second pumping device comprises a second syringe, and the disposable valve comprises an elastomeric valve.

Claims

1. A method to purge air or liquid from a powered injection system, the method comprising:

driving a first pumping device in a first operational mode to inject an amount of a first liquid medium through disposable tubing and a disposable valve;

driving the first pumping device in a second operational mode to deform the disposable valve; and

driving a second pumping device to inject an amount of a second liquid medium through the disposable tubing and the deformed valve.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

driving the first pumping device in the first operational mode comprises driving the first pumping device in a first direction; and

driving the first pumping device in the second operational mode comprises driving the first pumping device in a second direction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the disposable valve comprises an elastomeric valve.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first pumping device comprises a first syringe having a plunger therein; and

the second pumping device comprises a second syringe having a plunger therein.

6. A powered injection system, comprising:

a first pumping device; and

a second pumping device, wherein the system is operable to;

drive the first pumping device in a first operational mode to inject an amount of a first liquid medium through disposable tubing and a disposable valve;

drive the first pumping device in a second operational mode to deform the disposable valve; and

drive the second pumping device to inject an amount of a second liquid medium through the disposable tubing and the deformed valve.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the first pumping device comprises a first syringe having a plunger therein; and

the second pumping device comprises a second syringe having a plunger therein.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the disposable valve comprises an elastomeric valve.

9. A method to purge air or liquid from a powered injection system, the method comprising:

extending a plunger within a first syringe to inject an amount of a first liquid medium through disposable tubing and a disposable valve;

retracting the plunger within the first syringe to deform the disposable valve; and

upon retraction, extending a plunger within a second syringe to inject an amount of a second liquid medium through the disposable tubing and the deformed valve.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first syringe and the second syringe are different syringes, and wherein the first liquid medium and the second liquid medium are different liquid media.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

prior to retracting the plunger within the first syringe, extending the plunger within the second syringe to inject a second amount of the second liquid medium through the disposable tubing and the disposable valve.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the disposable valve comprises an elastomeric valve.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the elastomeric valve comprises a first input port coupled to the first syringe, a second input port coupled to the second syringe, an output port, and an elastomeric valve disc.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

prior to extending the plunger within the second syringe to inject the amount of the second liquid medium through the disposable tubing and the deformed valve, momentarily opening a coupling between the first syringe and a fluid reservoir providing fluid to the first syringe; and

closing the coupling between the first syringe and the fluid reservoir.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

upon extending the plunger within the first syringe to inject the amount of the first liquid medium through the disposable tubing and the disposable valve, pausing for a period of time.

16. A fluid valve assembly, comprising:

a valve holder;

an elastomeric valve;

a valve body;

a first input port;

a second input port; and

an output port,

wherein the first input port is aligned along a first axis that is substantially tangent to the valve body.

17. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, wherein the first axis is both substantially normal and tangent to the valve body.

18. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, wherein the first axis is substantially tangent to a defined area or volume within the valve body.

19. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, wherein:

the valve holder comprises a disc holder; and

the elastomeric valve comprises an elastomeric valve disc.

20. The fluid valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the elastomeric valve disc includes a slit.

21. The fluid valve assembly of claim 20, wherein the slit comprises an angled slit.

22. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, wherein the second input port is coupled to a valve input port, the valve input port being aligned along a second axis that is substantially tangent to the valve body.

23. The fluid valve assembly of claim 22, wherein the first axis is substantially perpendicular to the second axis.

24. The fluid valve assembly of claim 22, wherein the second axis is substantially tangent to a defined area or volume within the valve body.

25. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, wherein the second input port is coupled to a pressure transducer.

26. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, wherein:

when the elastomeric valve is in a closed state the first input port is isolated from the output port and the second input port; and

when the elastomeric valve is in an open state the second input port is isolated from the output port and from the first input port, the valve being in the open state when a fluid pressure equaling or exceeding a defined pressure is applied to the first input port and causes the valve to open.

27. The fluid valve assembly of claim 26, wherein the state of the valve disc is determined by a pressure applied to the first input port.

28. The fluid valve assembly of claim 26, wherein the defined pressure comprises a cracking pressure of the valve.

29. The fluid valve assembly of claim 28, wherein the cracking pressure is a function of at least one of physical properties of the elastomeric valve, interior dimensions of the valve holder, valve body and/or valve, or exterior dimensions of the valve holder, valve body and/or valve.

30. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, further comprising a bi-directional check valve coupled to the second input port to protect from high pressures a pressure transducer that is also coupled to the second input port.

31. The fluid valve assembly of claim 16, further comprising a bi-directional check valve coupled to the second input port to reflect hemodynamic signals towards a pressure transducer that is also coupled to the second input port.